Apparatus for boiling-off textile fabrics



APPARATUS FOR BOILINGOFF TEXTILE FABRICS 'Fil-ea Sept. 19, nae 4Sheets-Sheet- 1 INVENTORS Loans MEES Rn. CPARKES BY Bantams AJARBES XWQ'M Aug. 19, 1941. L. MEES ETAL 2,253,083

APPARATUS FOR BOILING-OFF TEXTILE memos File d Sept. 19, 1939 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Locus Haas -RALPH C PARKES N aznwumo A PARK-asM; e ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1941. M555 HAL 2,253,083

APPARATUS FOR BOILING-OFF manna names I Filed Sept. 19, 1939 4Sheets-Sheet s r Q @ID v Q a D o INVENTOR Q Q Lows Mess b Rama C. PnmuzsBYBERT as A Pumas ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1941. L'. MEES 'E"l'AL APPARATUS FORBOILING-OFF TEXTILE FABRICS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 19, 1939Patented Aug. 19, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPABATUS FOEBOILING-OFF TEXTILE f FABRI Louis Mees, New Brunswick, N. 1., and RalphC. Parkes and Bertrand A. Parkes, Philadelphia, 'Pa., assignors toNational Drying Machinery 00., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application September 19, 1939, Serial No. 295,574

6 Claims. (CI. 68-13) Textile fabrics are woven or knit of sized yarnsor threads and it is necessary before the dyeing and finishing operationthat the sizing in the yarns be removed. Great care must be exercised inthe boil-off process as otherwise. the fabricwhen dyed and finished willbe marked or spotted. This is particularly true in connection withtextiles formed of artificial fibers such as rayons, acetates and thelike. Furthermore, in the interests of emciency and economy it isnecessary that a boil-on?- process and apparatus for carrying out theprocess be provided for perfect speedy and continuous operation.

Since all textile fabrics are lighter than the liquid in which thesizing is boiled-off, difhcuity has been experienced in forcing thefabric into the boil-off liquid and keeping it in the boil-oil liquidfor the necessary time, it being understood that the fabric must haveminimum contact with the supporting apparatus and with itself during theboil-off process if marking and spotting are to be avoided.

Our invention therefore is directed to a novel fboil-oif apparatus bywhich a continuous boilpassage through the boil-off tank are shoggedvertically while their supports are made to rotate intermittentlythereby exposing to the boil- 4d of! bath those portions of the fabricwhich would otherwise be continuously in contact with the loop supportsand further producing a washing operation directly on the fabric.

Our invention still further relates to a novel means for forming thefabric into loops of predetermined size and for insuring gradualbutpositive and rapid immersion of the loops in- ;to the boil-off bathtogether with means for agitating the liquid in the boil-off bathwithout causing undue turbulence which might disturb the loops duringtheir passage through the boilofl bath.

To the above and other ends our invention contion which will be, morefully set forthin the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically and in side elevation a boil-oil;apparatus for carrying out our method, certain part being omitted inorder to show details of construction.

Fig. 2 represents diagrammatically a top plan view of Fig. 1 certainparts being omitted in order to show details of construction.

Fig. 3 represents a view partly in section and partly in elevation online 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents, in perspective, a fragmentary view showing certaindetails of construction.

Fig. 4a represents a fragmentary plan view showing certain details ofconstruction.

Fig. 5 represents a preferred embodiment of the structure of anexpanding pole adapted to be used in connection with the presentinvention.

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary view in side elevation of the left handportion of Fig. 1 showing a modified form of construction.

Figs. 7 and 8 represent, in perspective, fra mentary views showingdetails of construction shown'in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicatelike parts, and more particularly to Fig. 1, 8 designates a suitableframe for supporting the working parts, l0 designates the boil-01f tankand i2 designates the rinsing tank. The fabric H is fed into the machineover the rollers i6 and under the roller i8 and over the roller 20 whereit is dropped between any two poles 22 and 24 which form part of theconveyer generally designated C, the poles 22 and ,24, as well as theother poles generally designated P, being carried by the sprocket chains26. 28 designates a loop-measuring device which cooperates with thetravel of the conveyer C in the direction of the arrow 3|! topredetermine the lengths of the loops :2 in the interests of uniformityand in accordance with the depth of the boil-off tank Ill and othermechanical requirements. The loop regulating device 28 is not shown nordescribed in detail due to the fact that it forms no part of the presentapplication and due to the fact that it is shown and claimed in Parkeset al. App. #216,678 of June30, 1938, now Patent No. 2,213,502. Thechain 26 travels horizontally over the sprockets 3i and 36 and thentravels downwardly at a slant or angle determined by the spacing of thesprocket from the sprocket 38. In the top sists of various other novelfeatures of construc- 0f the tank I re P ovi d the longitudinally d thepoles P travel after passing the sprocket 38, it being seen from Fig. 4that each of, the

poles P is provided at its opposite ends with pinions 44 which areadapted to ride on the horizontal portions 46 of the tracks 40 and 42and over the ratchet areas 48, so that each of the poles P, when itrides on the ratchet areas 49, is turned about its axis through one ormore turns. This results in moving the loops with respect to the poles Pthus bringing these portions of the loops, which are in contact with asmight be needed, we provide the agitators- 48 having the propellers 50which keep the liquid in the boil-ofl. tank I agitated and, by referenceto Fig. 3, it will be seen that the agitators 48 are positioned incompartments 52 which communicate through the opening 54 with the bottomof the tank I0 so asto draw the liquid fromthe bottom of the tank I0through the opening 54 and propel it upwardly in the direction of thearrow 56, the liquid being then discharged over the upper edge 58 of thepartition 60 on top of the fabric I4 carried on the poles P. In order toeffect a washing motion we secure to the frame of the machine thebracket62 which carries the shaft 64 on which are mounted the eccentrics66.'the shaft 64 beingdriven by the pulley 68 and belt in any suitablemanner. To the eecentric 66 are secured the arms 12 which are inventionif desired to provide another bracket 62 and a duplicate pair ofeccentrics. 66 and arms I2 to engage the now pivoted ends of the tracksand 42 so that, the tracks may be raised and lowered at their oppositeends insteadof at one end thereof as at present shown. Since,

in order to do this, it is merely necessary to duplicate the structureof Fig. 4, we have deemed it unnecessary to show the same separately orin further detail. In order to heat the liquid in heating coils I8, orthe heating medium used therein being optional. .In connection with theposition of the sprocket 38 and the tracks 40 and 42, which in turnpredetermine the position of the conveyer C as it travels horizontallyin the tank I0, it is to be understood that the tank I0 is filled withliquid to a point well above the center of the sprocket 88 so that thepoles P are at all times submerged during their travel through the tankI0. In order not to confuse the drawings the liquid level has not beenshown in Fig. 1 but is shown as much-as possible in Fig.

of loops 82 through the tank I0fin the direction of the arrow 80, thefabric I4 passes over the roller 82 under the roller 84, over the roller86,

under the roller 88, over the roller 80 to the folding mechanism 82 sothat the fabric I4 is finally deposited in the form of 'folds 94 on thetable 96 or removable truck or the like. It will be noted that therollers 84 and 88 are positioned in tank I2 which contains a rinsingliquid I00 through which the fabric I4 passes after emerging from theboil-oil. tank I0. The conveyer C, after leaving the tracks 40 and 42-,travels downwardly, passes under thev sprockets IOI in the bottom of thetank I0 and over the sprocket I02 which is outside and above the feedend'of the tank I0 where the conveyer C and the poles P enter thechamber I04 containing a washing liquid I06. The conveyer C and c thepoles P then travel under the sprockets I08 so as to submerge the polesP in the liquid I06 and the conveyer C and poles P then pass overv thesprockets 34 in position to receive new loops of fabric 82. During thetravel of the conveyer i was experienced in forcing the loops orsubmerging them into the liquid andin order to insure a rapid anduntangled submersion of the loops we have provided the conveyer II4,which may be a sprocket chain or belt travelling over the sprockets orpulleys II6 which are journalled on shafts I I8 and which are carried bythe brackets I20. The conveyer H4 is provided exterlorly with the slatsI22 and it will be'noted from Fig.

.1 that the conveyer III is disposed at an angle with respect to theperpendicular, said angle a corresponding to the inclination or slant oftravel plane of travel of the conveyer G into the tank I0 so that thebottom ends of the loops 82 will just about touch the slats I22. Sincethe con- -the tank I0 we provide the heating coils l8 which may bepositioned as shown in Fig. 3 or c which may be placed directly in theboil-oil bath as desired, the location, number and size of the veyer II4 travels in the same direction as the conveyer C or in the directionof the arrow I24,

it will follow that the movement of the slats I22 gently butnevertheless effectively tends to pull the bottom ends of the loops 82down into the liquid in the tank I 0.

Above the tracks 40 and 42 is provided another I endless-conveyer I26which is also provided with slats I28 and which travels endlessly overthe sprockets or pulleys I80 in the direction of the arrow I82 inFig. 1. The conveyer I28 is spaced above the tracks 40 and 42sufficiently to permit of the vertical reciprocation of the tracks asexplained in connection with Fig. 4 but it is to .beunderstood that thebottom side of the conveyer I26-is below the upper edge of the tank Y 3After the fabric I 4 has travelled in the form be remembered that theimpellers 50 of the s tators 46 raise the liquid in the compartment 52and in this connection it is pointed out that the liquid so raised bythe impellers 56 is discharged over the underside of the conveyer I26and between the slats I26 thereof and is not discharged directly ontop-of the fabric I4 itself. In order further'to effect properdistribution of the liquid discharged over the conveyer I26 which hangfrom the poles P with or without by the impellers 56 there are providedthe angleshaped slats I34.

While ordinary single-piece poles P can be used successfully it ispreferable to use the form of expansion pole formed of the sections I36and I36 but it is deemed unnecessary to describe the construction andoperation of this pole in detail since the same is shown and describedin U. S. Pat. #1,.997,696, issued to B. A. Parkes, April 16, 1935.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modified form of construction in which ablower I46 is used to blow air through the ducts I42 and I44 between anadjacent pair of poles P on. the conveyer C so as to force the fabric I4downwardly between adjacent poles P thus forming the loops 32. Also inthis construction, instead of the conveyer I I4 which has the slats I22for pulling the lower ends of the loops 32 'frictionally and by contactinto the liquid in the tank I6, we employ a conveyer I46 which may be abelt or a sprocket and which travels over thesprockets or pul eys I46 inthe direction of the arrow I56, the conveyer I46 being provided withelongated, cup-shaped paddles I52 which carry the liquid on their upwardmovement in the direction of the arrow I54 and discharge it downwardlyas at I56 thus creating a downward current of liquid in the direction ofthe arrow I56 which tends in turn to suck or draw the lower ends of theloops 32 as they reach the upper level of the liquid in the tank I6. Theconveyer I46 is housed in a casing I58 and the casing I56 is providedwith the screen I66 which corresponds to the point at which the lowerends of the loops 32. enter the liquid in the tank I6 so-that, as thepaddles I56 travel downwardly past the screen I66, they tend to drawliquid through the screen I66 in a downward direction thus creating afurther downward current which acts on the-lower ends of the loops 32.The portion of the casing I56 covering the screen I66 is raised as atI62 and is provided with overlapping slats I64 to permit liquid to flowtherethrough but to prevent the lower ends of the loops 32 from comingin contact with the screen I66. 7

In order to avoid turbulence the false bottom I66 having the openingsI68 is positioned in the tank I6 below the loops 32 but above theimpellers 56 of the agitators 46 so that the liquid is drawn bytheagitators 46- through the openin s I68 thus preventing the formation ofcur-' rents or turbulence which may disturb the loops.

With respect to the stretching or expanding pole illustrated in Fig. itis pointed out that it is so constructed as to be expandedlongitudinally intermittently in the manner set forth in Patent No.1,997,696 above referred to or any other desirable means so that, as the.loops travel through the boil-off liquid and tend to become more orless wrinkled, the intermittent expansion of the pole serves to smoothout the wrinkles and maintain the fabric in properly spread condition. 1

The operation is as follows:

The fabric I4 is formed into the loops 32 the assistance of the airblown through the loops, the function of the latter being merely toinsure proper spreading and smoothing out of the wrinkles. The poles Pare then fed on a downward slant and, when the lower ends of the loopsreach the topof the boil-off liquid, the downward current created by theconveyer III in Fig. 1 or the endless bucket conveyer illustratedin'Fig. 6 insures the gradual but rapid and positive submersion of theloops without floating, wrinkling or entanglement. As the loops progressthrough the boil-off tank I6, the fabric is subjected to the action ofthe boiloff liquid and the intermittent rotation of the poles, as wellas their vertical reciprocation, insures contact of every portion of thefabric with the boil-off liquid and subject it to a washing action. Ifthe poles are not intermittently rotated, the portion of the fabriccontacting the poles will not be as much in contact with the boil-offliquid as the remaining portions. The conveyer I26 travelling in thedirection of the arrow I32 serves to push down any loop that mayaccidentally float off its supporting pole. If the conveyer I26 werestationary or simply in the form of a plate positioned above the boiloffliquid tank, any loop which floats oif its pole would rub against theunderside of the insures cleanliness of the poles to prevent spotting ofthe fabric.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: v

1. Anapparatus for boiling-oil textile fabrics comprising, endlesslytravelling poles, means for from said poles, means for propelling saidloops draping the fabric in the form of loops, hangin and said polesdownwardly and at an angle to the perpendicular, into the boil-offliquid, means for propelling said loops and said poles in submergedcondition through the boil-oil liquid, an

endless conveyor horizontally disposed above' from said poles, means forpropelling said loops and said poles downwardly and at an angle to theperpendicular, into the boil-off liquid, means for creatingaconstantdownward current in said boil-01f liquid near the point at whichthe lower endsoi' said loops first come in contact with said boil-offliquid whereby said loops are positively drawn downwardly and submergedin said boil-off liquid, means for propelling said loops and said polesin submerged condition through the boil-off liquid, an endless conveyorpartly submerged in said liquid, and means for propelling said conveyorin a direction opposite to the movement of said poles.

3. An apparatus for boiling-oi! textile fabrics comprising 'a poleconveyor, means for draping "the fabric in the form of loops hangingfrom the poles of said conveyor, means for submerging' and propellingsaid poles and the loops carried thereby through a boil-t! liquid, meansfor intermittently rotating said poles, during their travel through saidboil-oil. liquid, an endless.

conveyor at least partly submerged in said boiloi! liquid and disposedat an angle to the perpendicular, and means for propelling said endlessconveyor for creating a downward pull in the area in which the lowerends of said loops enter said boil-ofl liquid.

4. An apparatus for boiling-oi! textile fabrics comprising, a boil-ofltank, an endless pole conveyor adapted to support the fabric beingtreatand the fabric carried thereby and propelling it through saidboil-oil. tank, and a guard disposed substantially horizontally abovesaid boiloii' tank and partly submerged in the liquid therein forpreventing the fabric carried by said a pole conveyor from floatingabove the surface of aasaoss boil-oi! liquid comprising, a submergedinclined endlessly traveling belt disposed in the area in which saidloops enter said liquid, and ,means ed, means for submerging saidendless conveyor for actuating said belt whereby a downward currentiscreated in said liquid to draw the lower ends of the loops and wherebythe lower portions of the loops are also frictionally engaged and guideddownwardly by said endless member.

6; An apparatus for boiling-of! textile fabrics comprising a boil-offtank adapted to contain a boil-oil! liquid, an endless pole conveyoradapted to support the fabric to be treated, an auxiliary compartmentadjacent one end of said boil-oft tank and adapted to contain a washingliquid, said auxiliary compartment communicating with said boil-oi! tankat a point above the level of the liquid in 'said tank and saidcompartment, scrubbing .devices mounted in the lower portion of saidauxiliary compartment, drying means also mounted in said compartment'above the level of said washing liquid, and means for propelling saidendless pole conveyor through said boil-ofl "tank and from said boil-ofitank into said auxiliary compartment, through said washing liquid andpast said scrubbing devices and said drying means. LOUIS MEES.

RALPH C. PARKES. BERTRAND A. PARKES.

